The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-20
in the Senate, even under the brutal do,nineer-
ing by which they are bound hand and foot
than be right and consistent.
TIFF Observation-Disclosures.

THE LlEUTENANI-6
The remarkable compromise" or 'tagree-
ment" reached in the Legislature yesterday,
when read in the light Of the resolution upon
the question of the election of Lieutenant
governor Robertson, passed only the day be-
fore by full vote Of the ffty-six Republicans
of the House, will strike the people as a sur
render to the dictation of Green Smith and
the revolutionary element he represents in
the State Senate, especially when it is known
that the document was drawn up and adopted
without any consultation with Colonel Rob
ertson or Senator Harrison. The first the lat
ter knew of it was when told on the street,
after it had been made public in the joint con-
vention while Colonel Robertson knew of it
only when told in the hall of the House,
where he was quietly awaiting the beginning
of the session.
All the voters of Indiana. without regard to
party affiliations recognized the fact that
there was vacancy in the Office of Lieuten-
ant-governor as declared by Democratic
Attorney general and Governor, and they
voted according to their sen timents. for
man to fill that Office for the unexpired term
of ex-Lieutenant governor Manson. Robert
S. Robertson received a plurality of the votes
for that Office at the last general election and
was, therefore, legally elected under the
terms and by virtue of the Constitution and
laws of the State. He was and is, by virtue
and force of that election, the Lieutenant
governor of the State of Indiana for the unex-
pired term, lasting until January 1889.
The voters of Indiana did no idle or
thoughtless thing when they expressed their
did what they had right to do. They
elected a Lieutenant-governor and they
elected Robert S. Robertson. When he and
the other gentlemen accepted the nominations
of their respective parties for that office, the
people believed, and had the right to believe,
| that if elected their choice would assume and
would assert his rights and maintain them by
all proper means. and that he would be sup
ported by the members they sent to the Gen
eral Assembly AS before stated, Colonel
Robertson was elected, and he had demanded
and was ready to assume the duties of the
Office. Nobody doubts that if Judge
Nelson had received a plurality of the votes
at the November election he would have
been recognized by the people, by the Gov
ernor and by the Legislature as the lawful
Lieutenant-governor. But Colonel Robertson,
a Republican, having been the choice of the
| people, the Democratic majority in the Senate
refused to acknowledge the validity of the
election, and assumed the right to elect !:
member Of their own body to dis
charge part of the functions
belonging to the Lieuts governor
All the members Of the House of Repressx.a
tives and some of the members Of the Senate
| belonging to the Republican party, elected
upon the same ticket and voted for by tn,
same men in their several districts, have seer
fit to concede to the revolutionary members o
the Senate and House this denial of Colone
Robertsons rights and prerogatives. Tn
Journal does not believe that the Republican
of the State who voted for Colonel Robertso,
and for these members of the Legislature, a
we'll, will indorse their action. There will b.
no acquiescence by the Republican party il
the revolutionary methods of the Democrat
party, whatever the members of the Legis
, lature may see proper to do.